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Mounds View City Council May 28, 2013 <br />Regular Meeting Page 6 <br /> <br /> <br />Council Member Hull questioned if Ms. Simkins could apply for a variance to keep the <br />container. Planning Associate Heller did not believe this would be an option. <br /> <br />Mayor Flaherty inquired if a shed could be built around the cargo container. City Administrator <br />Ericson explained the City does not regulate what residents store inside their accessory <br />structures. <br /> <br />Mayor Flaherty asked if the City could give Ms. Simkins more time to remove the cargo <br />container. Ms. Simkins stated the problem was that she was currently unemployed and has been <br />for the last eight months. She commented that it would not be possible for her to remove the <br />container and build an accessory structure in the near future. <br /> <br />Council Member Meehlhause questioned if the storage container were grandfathered in, if Ms. <br />Simkins would apply for an accessory structure permit. Ms. Simkins stated she would be willing <br />to apply for a permit. <br /> <br />Council Member Mueller indicated the cargo container did not have an improved surface <br />underneath it and the accessory structure permit could not be approved. She explained it was <br />unfortunate that Ms. Simkins was misled to believe the cargo container was allowed. However, <br />this simply was not and has not ever been the case. She did not believe a cargo container could <br />serve as an accessory structure. <br /> <br />Ms. Simkins stated she has been living in Mounds View for 28 years and has had her storage <br />container for the past 16 years. She indicated this container has not adversely impacted her <br />neighbors in any way. She requested again that her container be grandfathered in. <br /> <br />Council Member Gunn explained in the past, double curb cuts were grandfathered in when the <br />Zoning Code was amended. She recommended this same action be taken with the cargo <br />container. <br /> <br />Mayor Flaherty noted the container has been on this property for the past 16 years and the <br />property has received no complaints from the neighboring properties. He was in favor of <br />strengthening the City’s Zoning Code, but supported Ms. Simkins’ request to grandfather in her <br />cargo container. He questioned how to proceed with a motion to this effect. City Administrator <br />Ericson stated the Council could proceed giving direction to Staff to revise Subdivision 3. Staff <br />could then speak further with the City Attorney to modify this section of the Ordinance, which <br />would then be reviewed by the Council during the Second Reading. <br /> <br />Council Member Mueller expressed concern that the cargo container could be leaking lead-based <br />paint into the soil as it was not placed on an improved surface and its country of origin was <br />unknown. <br /> <br />MOTION/SECOND: Gunn/Hull. To Waive the First Reading and Introduce Ordinance 879, <br />Amending Title 1100 of the Mounds View Zoning Code to Add Regulations for Cargo